Royal Mail has been fined £21m for missing its annual first- and second-class mail delivery targets, leading to millions of letters arriving late across the UK, the regulator Ofcom has said.
This represents the third-largest fine ever imposed by the UK communications watchdog.
Royal Mail delivered 77% of first class-mail and 92.5% of second-class mail on time during the 2024-25 financial year, Ofcom found. This was short of its respective 93% and 98.5% targets.
Ian Strawhorne, the director of enforcement at Ofcom, said: “Millions of important letters are arriving late, and people aren’t getting what they pay for when they buy a stamp.
“These persistent failures are unacceptable, and customers expect and deserve better. Royal Mail must rebuild consumers’ confidence as a matter of urgency. And that means making actual significant improvements, not more empty promises.”
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In April this year the price of a first-class stamp rose again, up 5p to £1.70, while the cost of the second-class service rose by 2p to 87p.